Each day in November—leading up to the winter meetings—Sporting News will analyze the offseason to-do list of a major league team. Today: the Texas Rangers.

For most of last season, the Texas Rangers looked like the best team in the majors. But a 2-7 finish followed by an uninspired loss in the Wild Card Game has left them dealing with more questions than they’ve faced in any recent offseason. Chief among them: How hard do they try to bring back superstar Josh Hamilton?

Offseason agenda

The Rangers have the resources to re-sign Hamilton, and they maintain that they want to keep him. What they don’t want is to give him a long-term deal they would wind up regretting in the final years. Don’t look for them to extend beyond a four-year offer.

Bidding farewell to Hamilton would afford the Rangers greater flexibility in pursuing the elite No. 1 starting pitcher they’ve lacked since Cliff Lee’s departure. But locating such an ace is the challenge in a free-agent market topped by Zack Greinke, who has No. 1 stuff (and salary expectations) but is more comfortable in a complementary role. The Rangers also have the resources to trade for a starter such as James Shields or R.A. Dickey.

The position that needs the most attention is catcher. Mike Napoli is a free agent, and Geovany Soto hit only .196 after being acquired from the Chicago Cubs. The Rangers reportedly are interested in bringing back Napoli and reportedly also have interest in A.J. Pierzynski, who is considered the top catcher on the free-agent market.

The Rangers also could be left overhauling their bullpen. Joe Nathan returns for a second year, but as many as six relievers could leave as free agents and the team is planning for another, right-hander Alexi Ogando, to return to the rotation. Neftali Feliz is going back to the bullpen after his recovery from Tommy John surgery, but he isn’t likely to be ready until 2014.

Possible departures

Hamilton, 31, widely is expected to land the biggest free-agent deal of the offseason, but it’s far from certain it will come from the Rangers. The team already declined a $9.25 million option on right-hander Scott Feldman and isn’t expected to pursue mid-season pickups Ryan Dempster and Roy Oswalt. Napoli, relievers Mike Adams and Koji Uehara are free agents who might have priced themselves out of the Rangers’ comfort level.

In shortstop Elvis Andrus, the Rangers have one of the game’s more intriguing trade chips. Andrus, 24, has been a key to the Rangers’ rise to the AL elite, but the arrival of top prospect Jurickson Profar makes Andrus expendable. The Rangers, however, reportedly have said that it would take more than a return of young Diamondbacks slugger Justin Upton to deal Andrus.

Early 2013 outlook

With or without Hamilton, the Rangers will enter 2013 as one of the AL’s top teams. Their lineup is deep, their rotation goes at least four strong and Nathan has returned to being one of the majors’ best closers. Most important, the Rangers’ front office has accomplished too much in recent seasons to believe one lousy finish will hold them back.